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Your Questions About Tank Trouble 4.1

Jul 3rd, 2011
by Aquarium Lover.
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Carol asks…

Having trouble with high nitrates? they just won’t go.?

It’s a really big tank, and I am so sick of changing water. i’ve done 50 % and it didn’t help.
I keep changing and changing but nitrates are still really high.
yes the filter cartridges are clean. no i don’t over feed.
no it’s not over stocked.
I’ve also tried meds (prime).
I’ve had the tank about a year. it’s 100gallon tank and I have 2 power filters. one is for and 80 gal and one is for 20. so right about even. it’s been bad for about 3-4 1/2 months. it took me a while to find out about the nitrates. I’ve already lost 4 angelfish to nitrate poisoning etc.
I changed the water every week before, but what happened was i didn’t change the filter cartridges for a while, over 2 months, and they got really bad and screwed up the tank.
I tested the tap water i use. the rusults were much less then the water in the tank (nitrate and ammonia wise), so you’d think the water changes would be helping.

I don’t know what to do.
the results came up about 100ppm and after 2 week of water changes and prime, it came up about 90ppm. it might have been higher, i couldn’t tell.
what do i do? I’m so confused.
i have another tank (30 gal) the angelfish could live in for a while.
could i do a 100% change, then start over again, re-cycling and only adding 2-4 fish a week?
any tips?
Thanks so much!

Aquarium Lover answers:

My first thought would be confusing nitrites with nitrates … It takes excessively high nitrate to cause “poisoning”.
Then noticed … Angelfish.Very nitrate sensitive.
The next thought would be to check the expiration date on the nitrate kit.
It has been known in the past for people to chase nitrate readings constantly due to an expired test kit…. And to chase it so hard that they caused other problems.
I’d assume that you have done a THOROUGH gravel vacuuming based on how much water you have changed … If not,may be the problem.

You’re also indicating “I tested the tap water i use. The rusults were much less then the water in the tank (nitrate and ammonia wise)” … So does that mean that you ARE getting an ammonia reading in the tank? You should never have an ammonia reading of any type in the presence of a nitrate reading … It indicates three possibilities … Overfeeding (no info given),overstocking (which you indicate not),and underfiltered (which I think you are).
Angelfish are cichlids,and cichlid rules of filtration apply. With power filters,that’d be 10X volume hourly,or 1000gph (which sounds high but isn’t in a 100g) . You have to ignore “rated for xx gallons” completely when dealing with cichlids … That has gotten more people in trouble.You need to know the ACTUAL flow rate of the filters … Because as your Angelfish have grown,so have their filtration needs.
Ammonia in the tank is always “food”,and as long as filters can convert it there will be high nitrates …. And an ammonia reading along with a high nitrate reading would definitely indicate underfiltration.

I may be “off base” …. So it would definitely be best,for you to receive the best answers from everyone,to edit in a FULL set of tank readings.

Susan asks…

i just bought a new 72cc bore,manifold,and a ceffcrank and got a used motor block was better then the one?

i was running.i was told by the owner i bought it from to mix 4 1/2 oz of oil to a full tank but my friend also told me to mix 7 1/2 of oil to a full tank. after my bike came out of the shop it was running perfect the spark plug was about 5 days old so i started listening to my friend which was 7 1/2 to a tank right after that i was riding then had trouble starting so i took it back to the shop and it was the spark plug so i changed it and and it was running good again then i gassed about 2 more times same 7 to a tank now it feels like when i pull the throttle it feels like it bogs out all the time please help tell me everything u know about that
1 gallon tank

Aquarium Lover answers:

You should be using the 4.5oz to 1 gallon mixture. When you mixed it 7.5oz to 1 gallon it’s to much for the plug to ignite.

Donna asks…

Why is fuel not being pumped to my Throttle Body Injection Unit?

I bought this 84 Caddy with a 4.1 V8 throttle body injection. Fuel is not being pumped through the lines,so its not reaching the injection unit. I was told when I bought it the Fuel pump was new. I blew air through the lines and could hear the air reaching the tank. So the lines are clean. I need to know how I can trouble shoot this. There are culprits like the sending unit, or the fuel pressure. I need good Ideas, cause I need this thing fixed by the end of the week for work as I’m currently car-less, and soon to be job-less. Thanks.

Aquarium Lover answers:

Don’t believe all that you hear when buying a car. If you are sure the pump is new, when you turn the key on try to see if you or a helper can hear the pump come on. If not find the fuel pump fuse and make sure its good as well as the relay. You can try switching the relay with another of the same type and see what happens.

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How to Clean Your Large Fish Tank

Jan 6th, 2010
by Guest Blogger.
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A giant grouper at the Georgia Aquarium, seen ...

Image via Wikipedia

The downside to owning a large fish tank is that it is more work to clean it every week (preferable.) If you want your fish to live a long time and your tank to look clean and clear and free from algae overtaking your habitat then you’ve got to properly clean your tank. Here are the basics.

Siphoning

At least once a week you should siphon out 20% of the water from your tank into a giant bucket and then replace that old water with new tap water that has been properly treated to remove the harmfull acid and iron from the water. When siphoning make sure you dig around into the rocks to get all the waste and leftover food out that has fallen to the bottom.

Don’t worry about scaring your fish they should be fine with your sticking your hand and siphon into the tank and going over it thoroughly. When you put the new water into the tank don’t just pour it in which can upset the landscaping but use the siphon to slowly filter the new water into the tank.

Algae scraper

These tools are cheap and effective. Use a squeegee like algae scraper to clean up the walls of your tank from being overrun with algae which not only looks bad but can be harmful to your tank. If you are looking for an easier solution invest in buying an algae eater fish like a pleco which will roam around your tank at night and help to keep it clean and free from algae.

Don’t overfeed

The amateur mistake of first time fish keepers…don’t overfeed your fish as it can lead to waste buildup in your tank. Feed them a small amount of flakes or pellets about twice a day to keep them healthy and satisfied. Remember that it is always more safe to underfeed than to overfeed.

Alan McGee is a freelance writer from MN.

Article Source:http://www.articlesbase.com/pets-articles/how-to-clean-your-large-fish-tank-1671316.html

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Tropical Fish Aquariums: Do They Need to Be Different?

Sep 7th, 2009
by Guest Blogger.
1 comment
Diagram of the nitrogen cycle in an aquarium.

Image via Wikipedia

Author: Brittney Foster

Are you interested in adding a collection of fish to your home or your office? If so, have you decided which type of fish you would like to have displayed? When it comes to fish keeping, there are a relatively large number of individuals who are interested in owning tropical fish.

Are you one of those individuals? If so, you may be wondering what type of aquarium you need to purchase. Better yet, you may be wondering if you can use a traditional aquarium or if you need to have a tropical fish aquarium.

What type of aquarium you need to use for tropical fish is one of the most commonly asked questions, especially among first-time tropical fish owners. When searching for aquariums, you may come across fish tanks that are labeled or described as being tropical fish aquariums.

This leads many individuals to believe that they need to have a special tropical fish aquarium to own a set of tropic fish. Honestly, that isn’t always the case. (more…)


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